Attachment for pug mills



C; M'. FEE.-

' ATTACHMENT FOR PUG MILLS- APPLICATION FILED JULY 1.. 1919.

1,419,833. Patnted June 13, 1922.

INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M, FEE, or FULTON, ivrrssounr.

ATTACHMENT FOR/PUG MILLS.

Application filed. July 1,

To all whom z'tmag concern:

Be it known that I CHARLES M. Fun, a citizen of the. United States residing at Fulton, in the county of Callaway and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Pug Mills, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an attachment for pug mills and has for its primary object to provide an attachment for determining the condition of the column of mud issuing from the mill by giving signals according to whether the mud is hard or soft.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for reducing the expense for running a pug mill.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple device for giving immediate information when the degree of hardness of the mud. changes.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a pug mill showing my invention attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a top plan View.

Again referring to the drawings showing one of the many forms in which the invention may be constructed the numeral 1. designates a bracket of U-shape formation secured to the pug mill B at the point where the mud issues from the mill. Fitted to the bracket so as to swing in an arc of a circle is an L-shaped member 2 one limb 3 of which being so disposed that it will constantly press upon the column of mud C issuing from the mill.

For the purpose of regulating the pressure of the limb 3 upon the column of mud so that the same may sink into the mud when the latter is soft or to be elevated when the mud is hard I provide the regulator at consisting of a bolt 5 loosely passin through the bracket and the member 2 and encircled by a coil spring 6 one end of which presses against the member 2 while the other end is engaged by the plate 7 slidable on the bolt so as to vary the expansive action of the spring 6. This plate 7 is adjustable and acted upon by adjusting screws 8 threaded Specification of Letters latent. Patented June 13, 1922 1919. Serial No. 307,902.

into the bracket. The numeral 9 designates the switch one element of which is in the form of a contact strip 10 secured to the member 2 so asto move therewith. The other elementof this switch is in the form of adjustable contacts 11 and 12' arranged inthe path of movement of the contact strip 10 so that when the member 2 reaches a predetermined position the strip 16 will engage the contacts for closing the signal circuits now to be described. Connected to the contact 11 is a conductor 13 in which is ranged a signal device shown in the drawings as a bulb 14 which. may be of any color. When-the bulb la is illuminated it indicates that the mud is soft. Connected to the contact 12 is a conductor 15 in which is arranged a signal. bulb 16 of a different color from thebulb 14 for indicating when the mud ishard. A common return. conductor 17 connects to the first two mentioned conductors and to the contact strip andhas arranged therein a battery 18.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be apparent that when the degree of hardness of the column of mud C lowers a predetermined amount according to thesetting of the device the arm L will be forced into the column of mud by the ex anding action of the spring 6 which brings t e strip 10 into engagement with the contact 11 thereby closing the circuit in M is arranged. This will immediately give the signal to the operator of the pug mill so that he can act accordingly. Should the reverse take place, that is to say the degree of hardness of the column of mud increases a predetermined amount the arm 2 will swing about its pivot to bring the contact 10 into engagement with the contact 12 thus closing the circuit of bulb 16 and thereb give a visual indication to the operator 0 the pu mill that the column of mud is too hard? Thus it will be seen that in a very simple inexpensive manner I am able to give visual indications when the degree of hardness of the mud reduces below a predetermined degree or rises above a redetermined degree thereby dispensing wit a table man in the operation of pug mills and further assuring the proper degree of hardness for obtaining the best results whenmaking bricks or tiles. i

It is of course tobe understood that the which the bulb invention may be constructed in various other manners and the parts associated in other relations and therefore I do not desire to be limited in any manner except as set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

lVhat I claim is 1. An attachment for pug mills comprising a signal device including a bracket secured upon the outlet end of the pug mill, a pair of spaced contacts carried by said bracket, a pair of signal members connected with said contacts and connected with a source of: current, a spring pressed arm pivoted upon the outlet end of the pug mill and including one portion engageable with the column of mud issuing from the pug mill and including another portion extending at a right angle, and a contact member carried by said mentioned portion of the arm and engageable with one or the other of said first named contacts whereby to close the circuit through one signal or the other.

2. A signal attachment for pug mills comprising a bracket member secured. upon the discharge member of the pug mill, a pair of spaced contacts carried by bracket, a pair of signal members connected with said contacts and connected with a source of current, an L-shaped arm pivoted upon the outlet end of the pug mill and including one portion engaging the column oi? mud issuing from the pug mill and including another portion at an angle thereto, an adjustable spring tensioned upon the second portion of said arm whereby to vary the degree of pressure upon the column of mud, and a contact carried by the second mentioned portion of the arm and adapted to engage one or the other of said first named contacts whereby to energize one or the other of said signals.

8. A signal device for pug mills comprising an L-shaped bracket secured upon the outlet end of a pug mill, a pair of spaced contacts carried by said bracket, a pair of signal members connected with said contacts and connected with a source of: current, an L- shaped lever pivoted upon the outlet end of the pug mill and including one arm engaging the column of mud issuing therefrom and further including a second arm extending at an angle, a contact carried by said second named arm and connected with the source of current, said last named contact being engageable with one or the other of said first named contacts, an adjustable spring tension associated with said bracket and engaging said second named arm whereby to vary the pressure oft the first named arm against the column of mud.

4-. An indicating means comprising a pug mill and means for indicating a change from normal in the density of the material forced from the mill.

In testimony whereof I a'flix my signature.

CHARLES M. FEE. 

